Bonds of the Sekihoutai
by Kazuya-chan
Summary: This is a rewritten version but it's not too different form the first one... the first part of the chapter is the same... I tried, I really tried


disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or any of it's charaters, onegai dakara don't sue me. I own only Haruka and if you want to use her in your stories, please ask me first.

summary: Let's say that there was another kid in the Sekihoutai... a girl of the same age as Sano and Katsu... and let's say that on the night Sano and Katsu wanted to blow up the Departament of Internal Affairs, the one that stood in their way was that girl and not Kenshin.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Bonds of the Sekihoutai**

It was a cold and windy night. All was quiet at the Departament of Internal Affairs; but the guards will find out that all is not what it seems to be. There was an explosion... "Nanda? We're under attack!" Then there were other explosions, one after the other, heading for the main gate. The guards, thinking that the culprit was going in that direction, followed the explosions.

Two figures could then be seem running towards the wall where the guards previously have been.

"You adjusted the length of the fuse... you planed well." said the one that was a little behind.

When they neared the wall, the figure that was in front put his back to it and cupped his hands so that he can boost up his friend. When Sano was on top of the wall, he took off his jacket and, holding one end, he lowered it in order to help Katsu up. Said artist, bomb-maker and former Sekihoutai member, grabbed the jacket and he was pulled up. Once they were both on the wall, they froze. Someone else was here.

A little light from the moon shone on the garden in front of them. A woman not older that 20 stood there. She was dressed in a black ninja suit and had a cloth that hid her face, save her ice cold blue eyes.

Both Sano and Katsu could see that this woman had an overwhelming presence.

"A ninja?...." asked Sano a little confused.

"I will not let you pass!" came the stern reply from the woman.

Katsu jumped off the wall. "Are you going to stand in our way like the Imperialists did? This time the Sekihoutai will triumph." he said reveiling two bombs.

The woman did not flinch. "Bombs?"

"That's right. I'll use these to blow up each departament in Tokyo and then the Meiji government." started Katsu. "Whoever gets in my way... will be blown to pieces." he said lighting the fuses and throwing the bombs at the woman faster than anyone could see.

Just then, the ninja disappeared, only to appear again with the bombs in her hands, fuses out.

"Impossible. How?" Katsu was amaized.

"Right after you threw the bombs, she rushed forward, got to them before they could go off and put out the fuses." explained Sano, also jumping down from the wall. "Only a very experienced ninja could posibly do that."

"Damn you..."

"Mudada Katsu" Sano calmed him. "You don't stand a chance against a ninja of her caliber. Lady, I don't know who you are, but if you insist on standing in our way I won't show you any mercy. Even if you are a woman."

At Sano's last sentence, a look of disgust appeared in her eyes, and it was enough to scare the living daylights out of anyone. "I don't expect any! I'm only here to stop you from committing this crime."

After her last word got out, Sano rushed towards her, fists clenched. "Wait! You can't fight a ninja with your bare hands!" Katsu yelled at his friend, but it was no use.

Sano kept trying to fit his female opponent, but she just dodged everyone of his attacks. One punch was meant to hit her stomach but the mysterious ninja brought her arms in an X and blocked his punch.

"What's the matter Haruka? Why aren't you fighting seriously?" At these questions, the woman's eyes widened. "Surprised? Your eyes may have been cold and unrecognizable a minute ago, but in a fight they're the same as 10 years ago."

"I guess I can't fight you without being serious, Sano." she replied.

At this statement, a grin appeared on Sano's face. "Now we're getting somewhere." And he threw another punch meant for her face, but the woman disappeared.

_"Damn! Where is she?"_ he thought. Less than a second later, she appeared above him. The ninja hit Sano with both her feet and sent him into the ground.

"SANO!" Katsu yelled and rushed forward, bomb in hand.

The ninja had a feeling what Katsu might do, so she took distance between her and Sano in order not get him hurt by the bomb. She was inspired because Katsu did throw that bomb at her. Before she could rush forward to put out the fuse, it exploaded.

_"She could't have had any time to think what to do to that short fuse bomb..."_ thought Katsu, a little proud of himself. When the cloud of smoke disappeared... "Nani? She's not there?"

Just then, someone grabbed Katsu from behind putting an arm around his neck, and the hand that was attached to that arm had a very sharp knife that was a little too close for comfort.

"Tsukioka-san, if you use bombs you will involve inoccent people and victimize them. I will not allow the use of such ugly tactics!" came the voice of the same ninja woman, stern as it was at the beginning but now it wasn't as hatefull.

Katsu realised a bomb that he had in his hand. The ninja woman- Haruka, as Sano called her- saw this and let go of Katsu so that he could get away from the blow but she barely got away herself, the cloth that covered most of her face being ripped to shreds. She fell to her knees and leaned on her arms breathing somewhat heavily.

"There's no difference between pretty and ugly! The goal is important, not the method! The goal of clearing the name of the Sekihoutai and it's captain... You're like the Imperialists! You could never understand!" snaped Katsu at her.

Not taking her eyes off the ground: "By doing this, you'll stain their name even more!" she spat back at the former Sekihoutai member.

"You talk like know it all..." but Katsu was cut off by Sano who now was on his feet: "Katsu, stop it!" Then he turned towards the ninja. "Haruka, you of all people should understand why we're doing this!" At Sano's statement Katsu's eyes widened. _"Nani? Haruka?"_

The ninja got up and Katsu thought he did know her but he was absolutely sure after a gast of wind blew, reveiling a red bandana, just like Sano's, tied around the woman's head.

"Yet I don't." she told Sano and at the same moment brought Katsu back to reality. "Is this what the captain would have wanted you to do? I know that this is the same government that backstabbed him, but blowing everything up is not the answer. Please, don't force me to stop you...... please......" Her eyes weren't emotionless anymore; they held such sadness that it appered when Sano looked in them, he started to reconsider blowing up the government.

"But we've come too far to turn back now." said Katsu. Haruka turned her head in Katsu's direction and she disappeared. A second later someone grabbed both Katsu's arms, twisted them to his back and brought him down on his knees. Then he heard the voice of his attacker- the voice of a woman that could break out crying any second. "Captain Sagara and the rest of the Sekihoutai gave their lives in order for us to live. If you go ahead with this your lives will be forefeit. Is your revenge worth the sacrifice of our friends from long ago? Is it worth the sacrifice of the captain which we looked up to like a father?" Tears were now flowing down her face and she was sobing softly.

_"She's right. I was blinded by my hate. How could I have been so stupid?"_ After that thought, Katsu lowered his head and wanted to say something but he stopped when Haruka let go of his arms. Then he turned around and saw that Haruka was standing, looking away from him, tears still flowing. He stood too and without thinking what to do next, he embraced the woman. "Haruka, I'm sorry..." Katsu whispered slowly to her.

At his apology, Haruka started crying in the true meaning of the word hugging her friend back. Sano approached them. He put a reasuring hand on Haruka's shoulder and them looked at Katsu. His friend gave a nod as if he knew what he had been asked, and it gained him a smile from Sano.

A while later, the three were outside the walls of the Departament of Internal Affairs.

"Shikashi, Haruka, how did you know that we were here?" asked Sano.

"I'm a ninja... I know..." replied a smiling Haruka. "The sun will be up soon. I better be going." she said looking up the sky. "Good bye, guys! I hope I'll see you again."

She turned only at 90 degrees before she was stopped by Katsu: "Wait! Come with us!"

"I wish I could; nothing would make me happier than to be with you two. But truth be told, I wasn't supposed to be here tonight." she conffesed.

"NANI?!" asked Sano and Katsu in unision.

"This is the first time I've stepped over my superior's orders..." started Haruka with a serious face, but then she looked at the two men in front of her and smiled while saying "... but I'm glad I did it for you. Maybe, when I'm free, we'll see each other again. Good bye!" And then she started to walk off, leaving one Sano and one Katsu stearing at her back.

"She's become quite a woman..." said Sano.

"Yes, she has." agreed his friend.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well... it is different from the first time I wrote it, but like I said, the first part of the chapter isn't changed. I tried a lot of situations but I allways ended up at this one. Please don't hate me for that... I'm new so I guess I'm still learning.

Oh well, here's the same request: If you want me to continue this just tell me, okay? Okay.

I kinda talked too much so I'll just boot myself out the door.

See ya!


End file.
